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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2014
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Projected AAC drop 26 percent By Jackie Lieuwen Houston Today
BRIDGE Repairs
Jackie Lieuwen/Houston Today
Forbes Industrial Contractors Ltd. are repairing the bridge above Highway 16 west of Houston. Contracted by Canfor Corporation, the crew is doing concrete rehabilitation and jacking up the bridges to realign them where the gravel island in the middle has settled and sagged down. They are also stabilizing the middle section by adding gravel. The work will be done by the middle of April, said Site Superintendent Keith Graham.
The midterm timber harvest level is projected to drop 26 percent after the next five years. Agathe Bernard, Stewardship Officer of the Ministry of Forests, presented to Houston council last Tuesday about the timber supply analysis and public discussion paper. In the Morice Timber Supply Area (TSA), the dead pine left from the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic is enough to allow harvest to continue at the current level for five years before it drops. After those five years, harvest level, known as Annual Allowable Cut (AAC), is projected to decrease to 1.6 million cubic metres per year for 55 years. That is a 26 percent drop from
“
“We’re going to continue to fight to keep the timber that is here, in our community.”
- Mayor Bill Holmberg
the current levels at 2.165 million cubic metres per year. That is the conclusion in the public discussion paper for the Morice TSA, which was released for public review April 10 by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. See DROP on Page 3
Branding Houston to enhance community marketing By Jackie Lieuwen Houston Today
The process of branding the Houston community is moving forward. Two consultants hired by the District of Houston held discovery sessions April 14 and 15.
They talked to over 30 local people last week about ideas for a Houston brand, including business people, local residents and high school students. Chris and Lawanda Thornley from Thornley Creative Communications were
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hired March 30 to develop a brand for Houston, to market the community to tourists and business. The company is based in Surrey and has helped brand and promote Bard on the Beach, the Abbotsford airport, Surrey Memorial Hospital
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Foundation, and the Surrey Food Bank. Houston Mayor Bill Holmberg says it’s “a timely project for our community as we transition through the closure of HFP sawmill.” “With the help of funding from the Province, Northern
Development and the Omineca Beetle Action Coalition, this project will give Houston a fresh marketing strategy to attract investment and people to our great community and help the local economy recover and grow,” he said.
Chris Thornley said he came to Houston last week to listen to what local people had to say about Houston. “We got lots of good feedback from people. One thing I really liked was how positive everybody was,” said Thornley. “There was a good, positive vibe in
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the room.” He said they will take the ideas from the public and look for common threads. Then he will develop three brand ideas, which will be brought back to Houston for feedback. The whole process will be complete in June or July, he said.
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